Furnace grate-bar.



I. W. FISHER.

FURNACE GRATE BAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. II. I917.

L282 ?9% Patented Oct. 29, 1818.

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FURNACE CRATE BAH.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 11. I91].

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FURNACE GRATE BAH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1/. 19m,

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eras earnest? Ina w. FISHER, or IDA enovn, IOWA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-THIRD 'ro MIGHAL stunner, or CLINTON, Iowa.

FURNACE GRA'IE-BAR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat gnt gd @615, 29, 19118,

Application filed November 17, 1917. Serial No. 202,618.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l. IRA W. FISHER, a citizen of the United States. residing at Ida Grove, in the county of Ida and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Furnace 'Grate-Bars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnace grates especially adapted for locomotive, stationary and marine boilers and aims to provide a grate composedof a plurality of sections arranged in such a manner as to permit of said sections being shaken and dumped independently, in order that the fire may be. cleaned with the boiler under steam, the construction and operation of the grate permitting of such cleaning without removing the fire from the grate.

For the accomplishment of this purpose. the invention comprehends the provision of a plurality of separate grate sections arranged in pairs upon each side of the fire box, each pair of sections being capable of dumping separately, so that the fire may be dumped from one side of the firebox and the live fire transferred thereto from the other side, the grate upon this latter side being then dumped and cleaned.

The invention further comprehends the novel form of shaking mechanism by means of which the grate bars of each section may be shaken or rocked separately, so that each section may be fired independently as needed, this being especially desirable in fire boxes of large area, thereby keeping the fire at its best steaming capacity.

The invention further includes means for loc-king each of the grate sections against movement, making it impossible to shake or dump the grate until these locks have been released.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the following novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more. fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a grate constructed in accordance with the. present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longtitudinal sectional view of the same taken on a line with the hollow rock shaft and showing the means of corn necting each of the grate sections to a shaking mechanism so as to permit of their independent movement;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of the grate sections arranged within the foundation frame, the shaking and dumping means also being illustrated;

Fig. 4 is a central transverse sectional view through one of the grate sections, showing the manner of connecting the dumping and shaking mechanism thereto;

Fig. 5 is a similar view through the ratchet of the dumping mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of the connection between the hollow rock shaft and the grate section;

Fig. 7 is a modified form of this connection;

Fig. 8 is a detailed view of a modified form or ratchet mechanism for the operat ing levers;

Fig. 9 is a detailed view illustrating the side rails of the three sections provided with interengaging teeth.

in the present method of cleaning grates in locomotive fire boxes, the locomotive stands from fifteen minutes to two hours over the ash pit in order to permit of the removal of a heavy fire. This results in considerable loss of time and in injury to all parts of the fire box and boiler and requires the building of an. entirely new fire and corn sequent loss of steam. With the grate which forms the subject matter of the present invention the firebox of a locomotive or other boiler may be cleaned in a relatively short space of time, steam being kept up during the operation of cleaning the grate, as only one side of the grate is cleaned at a time, fire being kept in the opposite side of the grate during this cleaning. For this purpose it is not necessary to open the firebox door and subject the operator to intense heat as is usual in this operation, the shaking of the grate being operated from the outside of the firebox.

The invention in its practical form includes a foundation frame 10, within which the grate sections are arranged. in locomotive vfireboires it is preferred that the sections be arranged four in number, the two outermost sections, that is the sections next. the firebox door, being preferably of larger area than the two rear sections and for this purpose the foundation frame is divided into separate sections by means of a bridge wall 11. By this arrangement two of the grate sections may be arranged upon each side of the bridge wall and connected for dumping purposes in pairs, the grate section upon either side of the grate wall being connected, so that a pair of sections may be arranged upon each side of the firebox.

Each of the grate sections includes side rails 12 and 18, which are connected together by the end members 1 1, these membersbeing formed upon one side with inwardly projecting fingers 15. which are adapted to cooperate with fingers arranged upon each side of the pivoted grate bars 16. theconstruction of these grate bars and fingers being of any preferred form.

Mounted in bearings 17 is a hollow rock shaft 18, one of these shafts being disposed longitudinally upon each side of the fire box and the bearings therefor mounted upon the ends of the foundation frame 10. One end of the hollow rock shaft projects beyond the end of the foundation and has secured thereon a. ratchet wheel 19, this wheel being mounted between the bearing plates 20 secured to the adjacent end of the foundation frame. Also located between these bearing plates and pivoted upon the rock shaft 18 are the bifurcated ends of the lever 21, the ratchet wheel 19 being disposed in the bifurcations of the said lever. Pivoted within the bifurcated portion of the lever 21 is a double ratchet pawl 22. one of the dogs of this pawl being brought into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rock the shaft 18 in one direction, while the opposite pawl will perform a like function of the shaft in the opposite direction. Pivoted upon the short shaft 23 mounted between the bearing plates 20 is a dog 24, which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 19 to hold the said wheel against movement. "When this dog is released from engagement. with the ratchet wheel either of the dogs of the double ratchet pawl 22 may be operated to rock the shaft 18, the dog 24: holding this shaft against retrograde movement during such operation.

Secured to the side rails 12 of each of the grate sections is a pair of standards 25. which are provided at their ends with bearings for a shaft 26 and pivotally mounted upon the shaft 26 adjacent each of the stand ards 25 is an arm 27, this arm being pivotally connected to anarm 28 which is fast upon the rock shaft 28, by means of a lever 29: the lever 29 and the arm 27 are both pro vided with laterally extending studs upon each side thereof, these studs being adapted to engage notches in the bifurcated ends of the arm 28 and the lever 29.

grate sections, the end members it are By rbcking and rotating the shaft. 18 through the medium of the ratchet pawl 22, the grate section will be tilted or rocked through the medium of the arms and lever just described, the rotation of the shaft 18 in the direction toward the side rail 12 serving to lock these arms together and force downward that side of the grate. In order to permit of the rocking or dumping of the formed with bearing sockets 31, which are adapted to receive studs or pins 82 carried by the foundation frame and bridge wall.

Pivotally mounted upon the sides of the foundation frame 10 in brackets 33 are bell 2 crank levers 54:, there being one of these levers in each of the grate sections. One arm of each of these levers is bifurcated and extending through this bifurcated end is a pin 36, the said pin being adapted to engage over a hook 37 projecting upward from the side rail 13. When this hook is in engagement with the arm 35 of the bell cranks 3+ the grate section will be locked. In order to release the section the sides 13 may be t slightly raised through the medium of the ratchet pawl 22 and the bell cranks 3% dis engaged from the hook 37 by manipulating the arm 88 of the bell crank.

Each of the pivoted grate bars 16 has ex- 9 tending upwardly therefrom an arm 39, each of the arms of one, grate section being connected by means of a connecting rod -10 which is pivoted thereto. T he connecting rod 40 is provided with centrally arranged I spaced parallel fingers 11, which project upwardly from the said bar and have their upper ends connected by means of the pin 42. This pin is guided in an arcuate slottii formed in a curved arm 44 secured to a ring I 45. Swiveled within this ring so as to rotate therein is a collar 46. which is mounted to slide longitudinally upon the rock shaft 18. The shaft 18 is slotted throughout its length of travel of the coil 46 and projecting I inwardly from this collar through said slot is a pin 47, the said pin being adapted to engage the hollow shaft 48 mounted for sliding movement within the shaft 18.

The shaft 48 extends beyond the outer end I of the shaft 18 and has pivotally secured thereto a lever 49. this lever being in turn pivotally mounted within brackets 50 secured to the face of one of the bearing plates 20. Any suitable means may be connected I to the free end of the lever 19 and the end of the ratchet pawl 22 for operating these elements.

By the arrangement just described. the grate bars of one grate section may be I rocked upon their pivots by operating the lever 49 to reciprocate the hollow shaft 48. themovement of this shaft carrying with it the collar 46, which in turn imparts reciprocating movement to the connecting rod 40. I

posite end of the shaft 51 projects Mounted for sliding movement within the hollow shaft 48, is a shaft 51, one end of which projects beyond the shaft 48 and has secured thereto a lever 52, which is pivoted at 53 in anextension of the brackets 50 any suitable means being connected to the free end of this lever for its operation. The on beyond the grate section to which the shaft 48 is secured and is connected by means of a pin 54 to a collar 55, similar to the collar 46 and like this collar is mounted for sliding movement upon the outer hollow shaft '18, this shaft and the shaft 48 being slotted shown at 56 and 57 respectively to permit of a movement of the collar 55. The collar is connected to the grate section therebeneath in a manner similar to the connection for the previously described grate section.

It will be thus seen that rocking of the lever 49 will cause the pivoted grate bars of the first described section to rock for the purpose of shaking the grate, while a movement of the lever 52 will cause a similar action of the last mentioned section.

It is believed that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings will render the construction and operation of the grate apparent and that a more extended description is therefore unnecessary.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the lever 29 and arms 27 and 28 are dispensed with. In this form, the end members 14 of the grate section-is provided with a toothed segment 58, which extends. downwardly therefrom. the segment at each end of the grate section engaging a pinion 59 secured to the hollow rock shaft 18.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of ratchet mechanism and includes means for positively operating the pawl 22 and the dog 24. This includes a dog 60, pivotally mounted as at 61 and connected to an operating rod 62 at one end thereof. The opposite end of this dog 60 bears against the ratchet 22 when it is desired to force the adjacent tooth of the ratchet into engagement with the wheel 19. The rod 62 is connected to the dog 24 by means of a flexible element 63, herein shown as a chain. A pull on the rod 62 will force the dog 60 into engagement with the wheel 9 and will simultaneously release the dog 24 from such engage ment. while movement of the said rod will reverse this operation.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, the side rails 12 of the grate sections are provided with laterally extending teeth 12, which form interengaging means between the adjacent side rails of each pair of grate sections and prevent waste of fuel when fine coal or clinkers is being burned.- They will also prevent clinkers from lodging between the grate sections and falling or otherwise interfering with their operation.

2. A furnace grate comprising in coinbi' 113M011 a foundation frame. a plurality of separate grate sections including pivoted grate bars arranged within said foundation frame, means including a hollow rock shaft, for dumping said grate sections in pairs and means including a shaft mounted to reciprocate within the hollow rock shaft for independently rocking the grate bars of each section separately.

3. A furnace grate comprising in combination a foundation frame, a plurality of separate grate sections including pivoted grate bars arranged within said foundation frame, a hollow rock shaft, means connecting each of said grate sections to said shaft, an element mounted upon the hollow rock shaft and operated from the outside of said foundation ring for dumping said sections and means connected to the grate bars of said sections and engaged with the grate dumping element for rocking the grate bars of each section separately.

4. A furnace grate comprising in combination a foundation frame, a plurality of separate grate sections including pivoted grate bars arranged within said foundation frame. a hollow roclc shaft, means connecting each of said grate sections to said shaft, an element mounted upon the hollow rock shaft and operated from the outside of said foundation ring for dumping said sections, means connected to the grate bars of said sections and engaged with the grate dumping element for rocking the grate bars of each section separately. and a locking member mounted upon the foundation ring and engageable with the grate bar dumping element for preventing the shaking of the grate.

5. A furnace grate comprising in combination a foundation fran'ie. a plurality of separate grate sections including side rails and end rails, the said rails arranged within said foundation frame of each adjacent section being disposed in confronting relation, means for mounting said sections in a manner to permit of their being dumped, means operable from the outside of said frame for dumping said sections, and interengaging means carried by the opposing side rails to each adjacent section for preventing the passage of fuel between said sections.

G. A furnace grate comprising in combination a foundation frame, a plurality of separate grate sections including side rails and end rails arranged within said foundation frame, the side rails of each adjacent section being disposed in confronting relation, means for mounting said sections in a manner to permit of their being dumped, means operable from the outside of said frame for dumping said sections and interengaging teeth carried by the opposing side rails of each adjacent section for preventing the passage of fuel between the sections.

7. A furnace grate comprising in combination a foundation frame, a plurality of separate grate sections including pivoted grate bars arranged within said foundation frame, hollow rock shafts, means connecting each of said grate sections with said shafts, an element mounted upon the hollow rock shafts and operated from the outside of said foundation frame, for rocking the shafts, means connecting each of said grate sections neeayee to said shafts, whereby rocking the shafts in one direction will dump said sections and means connected to the grate bars of said sections and engaged With the grate dumping element for rocking the grate bars of each section separately.

8. A furnace grate comprising in combination a foundation frame, a plurality of separate grate sections including pivoted grate bars arranged within said foundation frame, hollow rock shafts, pivoted levers connecting each of said grate sections to said shafts, means carried by each of said levers and engageable with the adjacent lever whereby rocking the shafts in one direction will dump said sections and means connected to the grate bars of said sections and engaged With the grate dumping element for rocking the grate bars of each section separately.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

IRA; W. Fl SEER 

